Mar 13, 2026 By Garrett Neese 6 min read

Delman Shaulis was at a halfway house in Farmington working to stay sober when he was connected to Goodwill Industries.

He worked with Krystle Patterson-Hubeaut, employment specialist with Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania – Human Services, to find a job.

She worked with Shaulis to find out what type of job he was looking for, and the hours.

Ahead of his interview, she helped him prepare his application and prep for the job interview.

Patterson-Hubeaut helped get him an interview with the Salvation Army, and buy new shoes for the occasion.

He got the job, which has helped kick off what he calls “the best year I’ve had in 20 years.”

“They’re helping people that are looking for another way, a new way of life, and they’re willing to give you a second chance,” he said. “They’re coming to help people and give you an opportunity to make a great decision. It just panned out. They just put pieces in place for me. It’s amazing.”

The improvements flowed from what the people involved in the programs call “the Goodwill river.”

Some might think of Goodwill solely as the dropoff point where they hand over items for donation, or the stores inside where they can buy donated items at reduced prices.

But the proceeds from the sales at Fayette County’s Goodwill stores help fund a variety of programs that can help people access necessary services and develop the skills they need to find employment.

“We don’t want outsiders coming in and taking jobs, we want residents,” said Rebekah Fombelle, vice president of human services at Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “We want to equip our residents with the skills and with the opportunities to obtain those jobs. And I think it’s masterminds like (Patterson-Hubeaut) that really are that matchmaker.”

The Union Station Clubhouse in Uniontown helps people with mental health diagnoses through assistance in finding housing, access to medical and psychiatric services, opportunities to develop social skills and educational programs.

Members are also enlisted to help run the clubhouse, performing tasks like preparing meals, building maintenance and recordkeeping that can help them build up employment skills.

Other programs through Goodwill also help people develop skills and find gainful employment.

The Fayette Mental Health Transitional Program offers jobs through janitorial, retail or cartridge recycling programs. The client will work with the specialist to create a personalized transitional employment plan, working with the person regularly to review their goals. A worksite supervisor will also help workers who live in Uniontown with transportation to and from their jobs.

People complete the program when they’ve received competitive employment. Completing the program also helps with access to other employment services.

Goodwill’s supported employment program helps people looking for employment by guiding them in areas like writing a resume or working on interview skills. They also help people find jobs in fields they have interests in, partnering with local employers in areas like retail, healthcare, and groundskeeping.

All three programs are focused on how to accomplish what the individual person wants, said George Edwards, director of the Union Station Clubhouse.

“We talk to them, we come up with a plan individualized to them,” he said. “So we’re not pushing our thoughts. We ask, ‘What do you want to do? Okay, let’s see how we need to make that happen.'”

Patterson-Hubeaut will have clients referred through the state Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. She primarily works with clients with drug and alcohol issues, though she will also work with people with intellectual disabilities.

She will start out by asking them “What would your dream job be?” Then, she helps them advance toward that.

And the guidance continues after the person’s landed a job.

With assistance from benefits counselors, Goodwill can work with clients and the employers to make sure they don’t receive hours or a level of pay that would jeopardize their benefits.

And Patterson-Hubeaut might field a call at night from somebody looking to put in their notice, and help guide them through whatever issues had come up.

“A year or so later, they might want to come back, and not because they lost their job, but because they’re ready, they’ve gained some experience, and they want to find something else, maybe paying a little bit more, more flexible with the schedule and things,” she said.

Patterson-Hubeaut has built up a range of companies in the community that have been willing to take on clients coming through Goodwill. It’s gone so well that many will now proactively call her seeing if she has anyone who might fit their latest job.

“The more clients that we can get, the more people find out about these programs, the more we can help people because not only are we getting them jobs, but then the businesses are opening up those positions for our clients,” she said.

The transitional and supported employment programs served 64 people between them in 2024 Fombelle said.

Eventually, Patterson-Hubeaut hopes they will be able to expand the programs to Greene and Washington counties as well.

Shaulis started off with an entry-level job paying $8 an hour. For his first few months on the job, he relied on public transportation for a 45-minute bus ride to work. Eventually, he saved enough to buy his own car.

“I was just so happy to feel healthy and be able to work,” he said. “It was just so nice for someone to give me an opportunity. I’ve never worked with people before in my life. I’ve always worked construction, carpentry. I’ve never worked in an environment like a store.”

The Salvation Army took notice of his diligence and work ethic, giving him multiple promotions.

He now works as lead driver for Salvation Army, picking up donations at homes and bringing them back to the Uniontown office and sorting the items.

Shaulis now also mentors people in the same position he was, trying to carry on the hand up Goodwill gave him.

“They put out a message, ‘We’re here to help you if you want help,'” … they seemed really caring and concerned, and I bought it,” he said. “It’s paid me in dividends 10 times over.”

For more information on the programs, go to goodwillswpa.org and unionstationclubhouse.com.